Leeds City Council accused of failing to advertise Thwaite Watermill museum as attraction on 'chopping list'

The Thwaite Watermill museum, in Stourton, is one of the last remaining example of a water powered mill in Britain. It tells the story of the milling industry in Leeds from its tiny island in the River Aire.

But its ability to do that was put in jeopardy by the council, after a sweeping series of cost-cutting measures were proposed to offset the authority’s dire financial position.

Just before Christmas, it was proposed that ties should be cut with the museum by ending the lease on the site – a move that would save up to £756,000 over the next five years.

But the Canal and River Trust, which owns the site, has confirmed that if the lease is ended, the museum will close for good.

One of the council’s justifications for ending the lease is its modest visitor numbers – with just over 11,000 visiting in 2022.

But according to critics, that’s because not enough has been done to advertise it.

Coun Andrew Carter CBE, a Conservative veteran of the authority, spoke at a Scrutiny Board meeting yesterday (January 15). He said: “There has been occasion in the past when both Pudsey Civic Hall and Thwaite Mills have been on the council’s chopping list.”

Pudsey Civic Hall is another asset that could be lost under the council’s proposed cost-saving measures.

The Calverley and Farsley ward councillor added: “Has there been proper marketing of this heritage asset? Has there been a will to make it succeed? Or is it just an easy box for officers to tick? I think we should be looking at alternatives to closure and bringing forward a proper marketing plan for both buildings.”

His Conservative colleague Coun Sam Firth, who represents Harewood, agreed: “I believe we haven’t marketed it as well as we should have, given its uniqueness compared to some of our other attractions across the city.”

In 2022, the council decided that it could improve on promoting its attractions – and so embarked on an ongoing review of its assets.

The Thwaite Watermill museum is one of eight attractions marketed by Leeds Museums and Galleries. It has been argued that if ties are cut with the museum, it would allow the council to focus more on promoting the remaining attractions.

Labour Coun Debra Coupar, the Deputy Leader of the Council, gave the background to the cost-cutting measures. She said: “The situation that councils are finding themselves in, including Leeds City Council with nearly £60m to find, is unprecedented.

“It’s not a position that any of us want to be in – and there are no easy choices here. When we are now in our 14th year of austerity with chronic underfunding for local government, it leaves us with very few choices.”

The ending of the lease at Thwaite Watermill museum is just one of a series of proposals that were unveiled by the authority last month. They also include axing 750 jobs, doing away with care homes, and introducing car parking charges at popular attractions like Roundhay Park.

The measures – that have yet to be officially signed off – come as the council seeks to set a balanced budget for the next financial year, which is a legal requirement. It must save £58.4m over the next year, alongside £7.4m of already agreed savings. Without setting a balanced budget, it would effectively be declaring bankruptcy.